1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coupling connector with first and second connectors coupled, and more particularly, to an art of preventing the generation of leakage current between terminals disposed in terminal accommodation chambers.
2. Description of the Related Art
For such connectors as having a plurality of terminals accommodated and disposed in terminal accommodation chambers, there has been an invention of preventing the generation of leakage current between the terminals accommodated in the terminal accommodation chambers. FIG. 11 shows an example of such an invention having been proposed in which a leakage prevention wall 103 is provided in a connector housing 102 to insulate terminal accommodation chambers 101 from each other. In this connector, the leakage prevention wall 103 lengthens the surface-connected distance between the adjacent terminals, thereby to prevent leakage current from being generated between the adjacent terminals.
The conventional leakage prevention wall 103, however, only prevents the generation of leakage current by lengthening the surface-connected distance between the adjacent terminals, and cannot prevent the generation of leakage current caused by water invading into the connector housing 102. As a means for preventing the water-causing generation of leakage current in such a structure, it can be conceived to fit a packing member made of rubber or the like onto the entire internal periphery of the terminal accommodation chambers 101, 101 to provide a water-tight structure between the engaging surfaces with the mating connector. However, the fitting of the packing member onto the entire internal periphery of the terminal accommodation chambers 101, 101 makes the connector larger.
The present invention is made with such points in view. It therefore is an object of the present invention to provide a coupling connector in compact size which can prevent the generation of leakage current including one caused by water invading into its connector housing.
To achieve the object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a coupling connector comprising a first connector comprising a first connector housing, a terminal accommodation chamber provided in the first connector housing for disposing a plurality of terminals therein, and a leakage prevention wall for dividing the terminal accommodation chamber into divided terminal chambers for the respective terminals, the leakage prevention wall constituting a bulkhead between the divided terminal chambers adjacent to each other, and a second connector comprising a second connector housing, a plurality of terminal cavity block portions provided in the second connector housing for accommodating terminals inside, the terminal cavity block portions being arranged to be individually inserted into the divided terminal chambers, and a mating recess provided between the terminal cavity block portions adjacent to each other for the leakage prevention wall to be inserted therein, and a water invasion preventing mechanism provided between the leakage prevention wall and the mating recess for preventing water from entering therebetween when the first connector housing of the first connector and the second connector housing of the second connector are mated with other.
Therefore in the coupling state where each terminal cavity block portion of the second connector housing is inserted into each divided terminal chamber of the first connector housing, leakage current may pass between the adjacent terminals along the leakage prevention wall and the surface of the mating recess. However, the passage along the surfaces is longer and the water invasion preventing mechanism prevents water from entering between the leakage prevention wall and the mating recess, which can prevent the generation of leakage current including one caused by water entering into the connector housings, and further can provide a compact coupling connector.
According to a second aspect of the invention, the water invasion preventing mechanism is sized to bring the leakage prevention wall into intimate contact with the mating recess at at least one part in their width direction.
Therefore the water invasion preventing mechanism can be realized by making the leakage prevention wall and the mating recess have their respective widths meeting prescribed conditions. This provides easy construction of the water invasion preventing mechanism and easy manufacturing thereof.
According to a third aspect of the invention, the leakage prevention wall has a proximal part and a frontward part each set smaller in width than the corresponding parts of the mating recess at the time of the mating, thereby to bring the leakage prevention wall into intimate contact with the mating recess at the two parts.
Therefore the leakage prevention wall is brought into intimate contact with the mating recess at the two parts, which provides double prevention for water ingress, resulting in ensured water ingress prevention.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the leakage prevention wall has a part between the proximal part and the frontward part, the part being set smaller in width than an insertion opening of the mating recess.
Therefore the part between the proximal part and the frontward part of the leakage prevention wall can pass through the insertion opening of the mating recess with clearance. This weakens insertion resistance caused by the mating of the female connector housing and the male connector housing, contributing to smooth mating of the connectors.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, a coupling connector as set forth in conjunction with the first aspect further comprises a locking projection provided at the leakage prevention wall, and a locking engagement part provided at the mating recess, wherein the locking projection is engaged with the locking engagement part at the time of mating of the connectors.
Therefore the leakage prevention wall and the mating recess are utilized to add the locking of the female connector housing and the male connector housing, which simplifies the structure of the connector. Further, this provides precise relative positioning of the leakage prevention wall and the mating recess, ensuring the intimate contact state.